Topic: Singe Demo / Practice - (ChewyTikkas Madras (Prawn))

[joshallen2k]

Hi Paul - I was in the same boat as you prior to prepping my own g/g puree with oil. I leave the g/g to fry in the oil with constant stirring/shaking just until it becomes fragrant, then add the diluted tom puree. As the tom puree reduces, I start to notice some of the g/g goes slightly brown. Its at this point I add the spices. From the time I add the g/g paste, through to adding the spices to the tom/g/g mix takes about 45 seconds for me.

So much more predictable than using fresh minced g/g.

-- Josh

[Salvador Dhali]

The other great thing about making a batch of g/g paste with 50-50 oil and water is that it will keep for weeks in the fridge - and (IMO) improves with age.

The oil acts as a preservative, and the water helps to stop the paste burning when you put it in a hot pan.

If you hate peeling garlic, someone posted a great clip of a superb method to 'peel' a whole bulb in about 10 seconds. (Essentially, you chuck all the garlic cloves in a pan, put the lid on, and shake like merry **** until they're all nude.)

Otherwise, soak your garlic cloves in a bowl of water for a while before peeling.

Another little tip is to chop your ginger into the same size as your garlic cloves. This makes it easier to get that 50-50 mix of garlic/ginger (though I guess you could weigh them).

   

[emin-j]

The other great thing about making a batch of g/g paste with 50-50 oil and water is that it will keep for weeks in the fridge - and (IMO) improves with age.

The oil acts as a preservative, and the water helps to stop the paste burning when you put it in a hot pan.

If you hate peeling garlic, someone posted a great clip of a superb method to 'peel' a whole bulb in about 10 seconds. (Essentially, you chuck all the garlic cloves in a pan, put the lid on, and shake like merry **** until they're all nude.)

Otherwise, soak your garlic cloves in a bowl of water for a while before peeling.

Another little tip is to chop your ginger into the same size as your garlic cloves. This makes it easier to get that 50-50 mix of garlic/ginger (though I guess you could weigh them).

 

SD, you might want to add a good dose of salt to the G/G paste if you intend to keep it more than a few days,salt is a natural preservative and garlic will turn even in oil without salt.

[Salvador Dhali]

SD, you might want to add a good dose of salt to the G/G paste if you intend to keep it more than a few days,salt is a natural preservative and garlic will turn even in oil without salt.

Wouldn't salt leech out water content in the garlic/ginger though? It would also affect the amount of salt you'd need in the finished article.

Honestly, with the right quantity of oil I've found that it really does keep tremendously well - although being completely honest I get through so much of the stuff I've never had the chance to push it beyond a week.

I thereby officially modify my previous bold statement and delete "weeks" and replace with "week".